An elderly cyclist has won more than £6,000 compensation after being injured in an accident caused by a deep pothole.

Kenneth Atkinson, 76, was thrown over his handlebars when he hit the 4in-deep hole in Oakfield Lane, Dartford.

The former civil engineer was left with a dislocated shoulder after the accident outside Oakfield Primary School and has been forced to cut down his cycling from 120 miles a week to 30.

Kent County Council denied liability. However, it has now reached an out-of-court settlement of £6,250 with Mr Atkinson.

The father-of-three said: "The pothole stopped me dead, like someone hitting the bike with a sledgehammer.

"I’m much more nervous on the road now. My arm aches constantly and simple tasks or hobbies have become painful, such as driving or playing musical instruments, all the things I should be enjoying in my retirement."

KCC, which declined to comment on Mr Atkinson’s case, has been unable to confirm how many compensation claims it has received related to personal injury from potholes or how much has been paid out.

Debra Rolfe, of national cycling organisation CTC, said: "A pothole in the road is annoying if you drive over it and it may cause damage to your car. However, if you cycle over a deep pothole you could be seriously injured."